the school as quickly as it takes to dress and put on her makeup-free makeup look.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I take a deep breath. When I put out a hand, Adrienne drops the phone into my palm. My eyes snap open. “Here I go. Hi, Mom.”
“Charlotte! How dare you keep me waiting when something so horrible has happened. I was afraid something had happened to you too. First Na, and now that cute young professor. Are you and your siblings all right? Want me to send a car for you?”
I wince at her words. If she only knew what Professor Rook was really like. Steeling myself, I go into damage control mode. “We’re fine, Mom. Adrienne is right here with me. You don’t have to send a car.”
Adrienne’s eyebrows wing upward.
“Honestly, I don’t know what to think about that school. When your father talked me into enrolling the both of you, he assured me that you’d get a first-rate education. That you’d be safe. What with his political aspirations on the horizon, I agreed. But now…” My mom goes on as if she didn’t even hear me a minute ago. She’s so wound up, it might be that my words aren’t penetrating her scared mom adrenaline haze. “It’s a good thing you three were still with us at dinner, far away from that mess. That reminds me. You didn’t say goodbye before you left. What time was that, exactly?”
My throat goes dry. “Um, you’re right. We were definitely still at the event when the professor was… hurt. I don’t know what time exactly.” Great. Now I’m a murderer and a liar.
Adrienne’s eyes narrow. I can almost see the wheels turning in her brain, as if she’s trying to figure out what time it was when I left the event. I’m banking on her preoccupation with Mikhail making it impossible. I do not want to have to explain to her what happened.
One look into those wide doe eyes of hers and I’d be marching my cute little butt into the police station to confess.
Mom’s voice lowers an octave. “I missed you. Say goodbye next time. And be careful. I swear, if anyone else gets hurt I’m pulling all three of you out and hiring a private tutor. No amount of prestige is worth your safety. Are you sure you’re all right? You’re not just putting on a brave face?”
My teeth grind together. That’s exactly what I’m doing.
“We’re fine. Really. If we need anything, we’ll call you. Okay?”
Her hesitation rings through the line. She’s going to pull us out, right now.
I’m formulating arguments, gearing up for a battle of logic, when she relents. After five more minutes of reassurances, from me to her, she ends the call.
“She sounded pretty worried.” Adrienne pulls her gaze away from the scene outside to meet my eyes.
“She’ll calm down.” I hope. But I can’t worry about that now. I’ve got bigger fish to fry.
Swallowing, I choose a course of action. Professor Rook was not a nice guy. He sold drugs to a bunch of his students, and he was probably sleeping with some of them too. His death isn’t a huge loss for our school, or our society at large. In fact, his death is kind of like accidental justice. An act of God, if you will. I didn’t mean to kill him—didn’t even see him, in fact—but I did everyone a favor. Now he won’t be around to prey on more impressionable teenagers. Not that I’m impressionable. I’m definitely not. But still.
Yeah, that’s it. It was justice. Inadvertent, but effective.
A slow exhale loosens the space in my chest. I flash my best smile at my sister. “Why don’t you go on down to breakfast? I’ll meet you there as soon as I’m dressed.”
Adrienne watches me for a minute, clearly doubtful, but nods. “Okay, so I’ll see you downstairs?”
“I’ll be down in a bit.”
I hide behind my door and peek around it as Adrienne swings it wide. I’m still not willing to risk anyone else seeing me in my pilly robe.
Mikhail is standing in the hallway waiting for my sister. She smiles up at him, and he does the same before his eyes flick to me. “Are you all right, Miss Cavendish-Holt?”
I pull my robe tighter around my neck. “Really? How many times do I have to ask you—” I cut myself off when I see the glint of amusement in his eyes. He’s just calling me that to get a rise out of me. We’ve